Maj. Gen. Charles Lyon speaks about a new valve that regulates the proper flow of oxygen to an F-22 Raptor pilot’s vest in Washington, D.C., July 31, 2012. The valve will begin testing next month and should be installed by the end of the year. Lyon is the director of operations at Headquarters Air Combat Command. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Christina Brownlow)
Lt. Col. Jay Flottmann explains how a valve in the upper pressure garment and the shape and size of oxygen-delivery hoses and connection points contributed to previously unexplained physiological issues during F-22 Raptor flights. He spoke during a press conference in Washington, D.C., July 31, 2012. Flottmann is a flight surgeon and 325th Fighter Wing chief of flight safety. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Christina Brownlow)
Maj. Gen. Charles Lyon answers questions in Washington, D.C., July 31, 2012, regarding the update on the Air Force Scientific Advisory Board study in life support systems installed on the F-22 Raptor. (U.S. Air Force photo)
8/1/2012 - WASHINGTON (AFPS) -- Following months of life support systems components testing in the F-22 Raptor, officials have "determined with confidence" the source of previously unexplained physiological incidents, the director of operations for the Air Force's Air Combat Command said July 31 at a Pentagon news conference.
Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta last week approved a gradual lifting of restrictions he placed on F-22 flights in May.
The combined medical disciplines of flight medicine, toxicology, physiology, human factors and occupational health have enabled the service to assemble "pieces of the mosaic" that reside in the cockpit, Maj. Gen. Charles W. Lyon, designated by Air Force Secretary Michael B. Donley in January to lead an investigative task force, said at the news conference. The general pinpointed the upper pressure garment, oxygen delivery hoses, quick connection points and the air filter canister, that had been used for a few months in the aircraft, as contributing factors to previously unexplained physiological incidents in which some pilots complained of hypoxia-like symptoms.
"As we completed end-to-end testing in the life support systems components, we are able to piece together the contributing factors for our previously unexplained incidents," Lyon said, crediting an "integrated, collaborative approach by government and industry" in helping the Air Force develop its findings. The task force, Lyon said, leveraged the investigative efforts of numerous safety investigation boards and the Air Force's Scientific Advisory Board to eliminate contamination as the root cause of the incidents.
Air Force officials used intensive altitude chamber and centrifuge protocols to isolate variables in the flight gear and cockpit connections, the general said. They also analyzed thousands of samples of gases, volatile and semi-volatile compounds, solids and liquids, and compared that data to occupational hazard standard levels.
"Managing risks to our F-22 force has always been pre-eminent as we work through this complex set of factors," Lyon said. "In the end, there is no 'smoking gun.'"
The fleet, grounded for five months last year, has flown nearly 8,000 sorties totaling more than 10,000 flight hours since its last reported unexplained incident in March, Lyon said.
In a recent update to Panetta that led to the decision to roll back the restrictions, Air Force officials said the service employed thorough, in-depth analysis to eliminate contamination as a contributing factor to its most recent incident and charted a path to eliminate all significant contributing factors today and in the future.
"We left no stone unturned in the investigative process," Lyon said, adding that the service will continue to move forward with enhancements and fixes as NASA concludes an independent investigation.
The Air Force's investigative process also involved canvassing the F-22 communities to gauge pilot, maintainer and family member confidence in the aircraft's safety, Lyon said.
"I recently visited our F-22 bases, and I can tell you, their confidence is high," he said, noting that no hybrid high-altitude flight operations and high-maneuverability aircraft could be completely immune to such incidents. "There's no other aircraft our pilots would rather fly in the service of our nation," he added.
Panetta has authorized the deployment of a squadron of F-22 aircraft to Kadena Air Base, Japan, under altitude restrictions using the northern Pacific transit route. Upon completion of that mission, the Air Force likely will approve most long-duration flights, service officials said.
Comments
8/14/2012 9:04:56 AM ET I love the spin stories on F-22 and 35. Over budget blown schedule and planes that don't perform... yet contractors get return business I bet my next year's pay incentive and award fees were still paid and I've personally seen military leads in the Acq community get awards for and I quote here saving the government money and fielding aircraft to the warfighter. Integrity first indeed
KP, VA
8/13/2012 3:09:43 PM ET Couldnt agree more Patrick the F-35 is even worse then the F-22 budget-wise
Maj Mike, DC
8/6/2012 5:10:29 PM ET The F 22 has not been used in a combat despite the initial introduction of this jet in 2005.The last of the 188 planes rolled off the assembly line in April of 2012. It has cost The United States more than 64 billion more than double the initial expected cost.Now they have given another contract to Lockheed Martin to fix the mistakes of the 188 planes that have issues.The US spends more on its military than the next 19 biggest spending nations combined.This is where our nation needs to cut its spending.httpselectedface.comarticle_full_view.phpArtID67
